Mayak gyeran, translated to “drug eggs,” are Korean soy-marinated soft-boiled eggs. Why the name? Because they are addictive, delicious and crave-worthy. Serve them over a bowl of warm white rice with a drizzle of the marinade and rich toasted sesame oil (or top with a small bit of butter to make it super rich). I like to serve mayak gyeran with a bit of toasted nori sheets for an even more wholesome meal. Keep the marinade for up to a week–refrigerated in an airtight container–and reuse it two or three times with fresh batches of soft-boiled eggs.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 6 hr 25 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 6 eggs |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 6 large eggs
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 4 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 Fresno chiles, sliced
- 2 scallions, chopped
- White rice and toasted sesame oil, for serving
Instructions
- Bring 6 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons of the distilled white vinegar to a boil in a medium pot over medium-high heat; prepare an ice bath. Carefully lower the eggs into the boiling water, then lower the heat to medium to keep it at a gentle, rolling boil. Let boil about 6 minutes for soft-boiled eggs. (If you want the yolks a little more set–cooked but still slightly jammy–boil for an additional 2 minutes.) Transfer immediately to the prepared ice bath and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to make the marinade, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sesame seeds, garlic, Fresno chile, scallions, remaining 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar and 1/2 cup water in an airtight container.
- Carefully crack and peel the eggs, then drop them into the marinade. Marinate, refrigerated, for at least 6 hours and up overnight. Serve with warm white rice and drizzle with sesame oil.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 6 servings |
| Calories | 185 |
| Total Fat | 7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 21 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Cholesterol | 186 mg |
| Sodium | 1241 mg |